With each season, fans are left asking the same question: ‘Is “Idols SA” still relevant?’
And with the standards on the reality show talent scouting competition dropping, the question is fair.
Let’s be honest, the first few weeks on the show, the audition stage is a total joke.
Yes, all the participants deserve a platform to showcase their talent, but we don’t have to broadcast all of them, particularly those who are just doing it for that five minutes of fame.
Maybe the format has become a bit stale.
Take “The Voice SA”, for instance, they do their online search only to bring to the show the best of the best to compete.
So instead of wasting time on tone-deaf hopefuls, Idols SA needs to invest in proper scouting measures to find the hidden stars of the land. And there are plenty if you look hard enough and in the right places.
Idols SA is touted as the country’s biggest showcase for aspiring young musicians to launch their musical careers.
The winners are rewarded with among others, up to R1 million in cash prize, clothing vouchers, a brand-new car, musical equipment and, of course, a recording deal. But a few months down the line, the winner is nowhere to be seen.
And so begins the cycle with a new season announced and the search kicking off.
Although we can’t take away from the successful musicians who were discovered through this prestigious show, the likes of Khaya Mthethwa, Heinz Winckler, Musa Sukwene, Dave van Vuuren and Karabo Mogane, we also can't ignore that something is broken in its blueprint.
Let’s not forget Shekhinah, Amanda Black and Lloyd Cele, who, despite the fact that they were never crowned winners of the “Idols SA,” managed to thrive in their respective careers.
And this week, South Africa witnessed a new dawn when former Boom Shaka star Thembi Seete and rapper JR, real name Thabo Bogopa Junior were announced as the new resident judges.
The duo joins Somizi Mhlongo, who was embroiled in scandal when his estranged husband Mohale Motuang accused him of abuse last year, resulting in his suspension from the show.
Soon after his departure, the show’s rating plummeted# as more fans continued to threaten to stop watching the show if their fave was not reinstated. Could this be the reason why Somizi was brought back to the show? His popularity?
Thembi and JR’s appointment comes after the show’s longest-standing judge, former managing director of Universal Music South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, Randall Abrahams, was shown the door.
The show also bid farewell to singer and media personality Unathi Nkayi.
The news of the new judging panel was received mixed reactions as South Africans started to probe the judge’s impact or contribution to the success of the show and the winners too.
The judges play a crucial role in who gets to move on to the next round of the competition, long before the public can determine who gets the ultimate prize. That’s if the public cast their votes. And this only happens toward the final stages of the competition.
Will Thembi and JR, alongside Somizi, bring the much-needed fire back into the show? Will their contribution give birth to a new Idols winner, who will take the local music scene by the storm?
We can only hope that it does.
Let’s start with Somizi - He is a talented television and radio personality. His choreography and acting work were debuted on the musical film Sarafina in the early ’90s.
He’s been a lead choreographer for numerous shows and big events, including the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2010 Fifa World Cup and the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
His reality TV show and cooking were very popular, drawing in big viewership. Somizi is an all-around entertainer, and he’s very good at it.
His musical experience, though, remains unknown. Are Somizi’s quirkiness and sense of humour enough to help discover Mzansi’s hidden talent?
Then there’s Thembi Seete, who forms part of the historic movement that was Boom Shaka. Thembi, alongside Junior Sokhela, Theo Nhlengethwa and Lebo Mathosa, became very popular as a unit in one of the successful Kwaito bands of the mid-1990s.
When the group disbanded in 2000, Thembi pursued acting while still trying to launch her solo career.
She released her debut solo album Lollipop in 2001. This was followed by her sophomore album S’matsatsa. In 2009, she released an adult contemporary album “Music Is My Life”.
But it seems she was the acting bug that bit her hard. She currently stars in the popular drama “Gomora”.
Other notable shows she featured include “King of Joburg”, “Gaz’la’, ”Yizo Yizo“ and ”Zone 14“.
She was a guest judge on “Idols SA” season 17, and the fans loved her bubbly energy, constructive critique, and of course, many raved about her ageless beauty.
With her musical career spanning over two decades, will Thembi spot the next big star?
JR is the award-winning hip hop star who made Setswana fashionable.
His smash hit “Gata Le Nna” featuring Towdee from his debut album “The Main His Event”, scooping the song of The Year at the Hype Awards in 2008.
Since then, the star continued to drop hit after hit.
Over the years, JR has worked with HHP Die Heuwels, Jack Parow, Khuli Chana, Tuks Senganga and AKA.
He also discovered and signed rapper sensation Yanga Chief to his label Feel Good Music.
Writing and producing a couple of records for Yanga Chief, including his break out hit single “Awuth'Yam” featuring Kid X and AKA.
In 2021, JR founded the first music distribution app in Africa called FYVE.
Are these talented faces of Idols SA ready to change the future of the music in this country?
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see as the new season hits the small screen in a few months.